Recovered Nelson ready to play Opening Day

By Thomas Harding / MLB.com

MILWAUKEE -- After missing the Rockies' final exhibition game in Salt Lake City with a stomach bug, Rockies third baseman Chris Nelson rejoined the team for its workout Sunday at Miller Park and declared himself able to play in Monday afternoon's opener against the Brewers.

To keep the illness from spreading to teammates, the Rockies sent Nelson directly to Milwaukee from Arizona to rest, rather than have him make the trip for Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Mariners in Salt Lake City.

Nelson, who earned last year's Opening Day start and overcame a challenge from power-hitting prospect Nolan Arenado this spring, said he feared not being able to answer the regular-season bell.

"I really was scared, and I said, 'I don't want to be around the team like this,'" said Nelson, whose locker in Spring Training was beside that of Triple-A Colorado Springs outfielder Charlie Blackmon, who himself came down with the bug just before Nelson. "I called [Rockies head athletic trainer Keith Dugger] and he told me, 'Don't come in and be around the players at all.'"